One evening, Noctis came back to his apartment with a stormy expression as he gripped the messenger bag holding all the important documents from his meetings. He only broke his expression when he greeted the two precious pets living in the apartment and bent to pet them both.
Prompto, who had stayed back that day to work on some side projects, came out from the bedroom. He smiled a little when he saw Noctis petting their little fuzzy babies. "Hey Noct... wanna tell me what all the gloomy feelings are about? I could sense it for the past half hour."
"I- well, it's a bit hard to talk about. but, we might have to start a treaty with Niflheim. . . but there's a lot to negotiate with them." Noctis tried to explain. "And they seem to want and try to use me as a pawn, but me being already married is a pain for them."
"Well that sucks for them. They won't separate us," Prompto said defiantly.
Noctis flopped against Prompto with a sigh. "Just worried what they'll do instead. And Dad is looking... stressed."
Holding him in his arms, Prompto rested his head against his husband's. "We'll fight them then. We can't let dad be stressed. There has to be some way right?"
"Yeah, but he's... he isn't letting me get really involved for some reason. We've got a meeting with him tomorrow, just the two of us."
"Just the two of us? Alright, I guess maybe we can get some answers then. Was there anything else said today?"
Quietly, Noctis told Prompto about the early terms of the treaty, how Lucis would have to give up their lands except Insomnia, but the war would finally be over.
"Do you really think the Empire is going to agree to all of that? I mean, they are the one's proposing it but can we trust them?"
"I think there's something bigger at hand. Everyone's all tense and pissed at something."
"Something they're not telling us, right?" Prompto sighed.
"Exactly. I guess we just do what we can now until we find out the truth."
"Yeah... so wanna flop on the couch and see if there are any good movies on? That'll take your mind off everything," Prompto suggested as he started moving towards the couch.
"That sounds great. And let's order some take out for dinner. No need to cook tonight."
"Pizza or Thai food?"
"Let's do Thai. Just get me the not spicy curry. None of that crazy nonsense you like."
"Okay I'll be sure to order one singular not spicy dish for my special guy," Prompto winked. "You go and check what's on tv okay?"
Noctis settled on the couch and allowed Void and Ziggy to flop on him as well. He started to flip channels to find a good movie. During the quick flips across the news channels he blinked when he saw a picture of Prompto, alone, on the news.
Turning back to that channel, he turned the volume up a bit more. "Breaking news, Niflheim press has announced that Lucian Prince Prompto Lucis Caelum is the stolen son of Verstael Besithia. Emperor Aldercap has requested during the treaty process to have Prince Amicitia Caelum be released back to the Empire-"
Noctis dropped the remote and quickly looked over at Prompto. "We have a lot of problems right now." He called out.
Prompto ran into the room, his eyes locked on to the tv. Immediately his face started to pale as he watched the images of him and Noctis from their wedding flash up on screen. "What..."
"I don't know." Noctis breathed. He reached out to pull Prompto onto the couch to hold him close.
"Emperor Aldercap has named Prince Amicitia Caelum, originally named Cassius Besithia, as the release stated, as his heir for the Emperor title."
"What the fuck..." Prompto muttered.
"I have no idea. I guess we found the secret no one wanted to talk about." Noctis replied.
"But why the fuck... there's no way that I'm..." Prompto muttered.
"You know Dad will demand a paternity test. We aren't going to give into the Emperor's demands." Noctis gently rubbed Prompto's back to help sooth him.
Prompto started rubbing at his wrist, at his special wristband that Noctis had given to him. "But what if… They could know something we don't..."
Noctis reached out to place his hand on top of the wristband and gave his wrist a squeeze. "No matter what they know, or whatever plans they have, I'm not letting them have you." He swore. "We made a vow, and I'm not breaking it."
"E-Even if it's true? That I'm related to some evil Niflheim guy and... and I was stolen?"
"Even then, because I will fight to have you stay here. You're Lucian, Prom, through and through."
Prompto let a small sob loose as he rested against Noctis. "I'm scared. I don't want to know. This is all so fucked up."
Noctis wrapped his arms around Prompto to keep him close. "This is fucked up." He agreed. "We'll get through this."
"Right. And like you said, we won't separate. I don't care what they say! I am not going to be Emperor of freaking Niflheim!"
"Yeah, there's no way Aldercap would do that. There's something else happening around here." Noctis agreed. "We are definitely going to be meeting with Dad for a long time tomorrow."
"Yeah cause I got some serious questions! Like..." his eyes glanced at his wrist. "Do you think I should ask him...?"
"I think so. It might be part of the plans they have for all of this. I'd just really like to stab the Emperor in the face."
"Same here. Can't stand that guy," Prompto said as he snuggled against Noctis.
"Come on, let's try to relax. I'm finding a stupid movie to watch, and you are eating the spiciest fucking curry the Thai place makes."
"Right. Sounds good. A good distraction."
Noctis carefully got up from the hold, pressing a kiss to the crown of Prompto's hair, and went to finish up their order for dinner. He was determined to make tonight relaxing for both of them, to try and make this awful moment a little less awful.
The following morning the two woke up early to head out to the Citadel. An unmarked, white, tinted car was already waiting for them to ensure the utmost security.
On the ride there, Prompto squeezed Noctis's hand tightly while trying to calm himself down. Thankfully Noctis did a good job of putting his ramped thoughts at ease with some calming feelings.
When they arrived they were quickly escorted all the way down to Regis's office. He was already sitting there, looking more dressed than usual."
Noctis took a deep breath as they settled in front of his large desk. He reached out to take Prompto's hand to help ground each other. "Dad, what's going on? How much of the news is true?"
Regis closed his eyes for a moment, the move aging him far more than the Crystal's drain had. "This wasn't how I expected our conversation to happen today. We weren't aware of the press release until the news was already announced. We're working on researching everything we can."
"So you don't know anything? Like... anything about me?" Prompto said as he tried not to fidget.
"We do know some things about you, yes. There is, actually, a bit of truth in the report we heard last night." Regis started. He pulled out a file with the highest level of Confidential stamped on it to hand over to Prompto.
"You were, in fact, stolen from Niflheim, but not from the house of Besithia. You were located during a covert intel gathering mission by the Kingsglaive into the Magitek production facilities."
"A M-Magitek facility?" Prompto said as he reached over to take the file. His hands were trembling as he tried to open it.
Noctis leaned over and reached out to squeeze Prompto's arm gently. The file included page after page of photographs, showing the documents they were able to find, as well as the strange pods the Magitek soldiers were grown in, including the one Prompto had been discovered in.
"Yes, a Magitek facility. We hoped that you wouldn't have to confront this part of your background, as you obviously grew up like any other Lucian in Insomnia." Regis explained softly.
"But what the fuck am I? They had a baby at a fucking Magitek Production Facility?!" Prompto shouted as he threw the papers to the ground. His heart was already racing as he crumbled down to the floor, his legs no longer having the strength to stand.
Regis let out a little sigh as he watched Noctis hurry over to pull Prompto into a hug and rock him gently.
"Our research would lead us to believe you were meant to become one of the Magitek soldiers." He said gently.
"What the fuck's wrong with the Empire?! Stealing children to make them into robotic soldiers?" Prompto sobbed. Suddenly he took off his wristband and compared his barcode to the image of the baby in the files. It was the same, down to every single number and letter. "Am I even human?"
"Of course you're human!" Noctis replied loudly. "You're Prompto, and the husband whom I love dearly. This doesn't change that."
Prompto cried, tears streaming down his face as he clung to Noctis. "But these files... How can we know if the Empire is lying? How do we know I'm not actually Cassius Besithia?"
"We are demanding a paternity test already, to try and disprove their claims. We feel this is just an attempt to destabilize Insomnia. But this is what we know from the moment you were brought into our care." Regis explained.
Prompto nodded even if he didn't fully process what was being said. Everything was still churning and swirling in his mind.
Noctis rubbed Prompto's back gently and whispered his love gently into his ear for a few minutes as he tried to understand what they had been told.
"Wait. . . what do you mean, this isn't what you meant for this meeting to be about?" Noctis asked softly.
Regis shook his head. "Not entirely. I knew you two would want to ask, but that isn't the reason I called you here."
"Then what was the reason you called us here? Is this about the treaty signing with Niflheim?" Noctis asked cautiously.
Regis shook his head. "No, not this time. This has been something I've struggled with for years."
The comment got a frown from Noctis. "What do you know? What is it?" He asked softly.
"It's about your role as the Chosen King."
"Chosen King?" Prompto asked softly.
"There's a prophecy about the Starscourge and the Crystal and a Chosen King." Noctis explained without looking at Prompto. "According to the Oracle and the Crystal, I'm the Chosen King."
"And the Chosen King is the one who will defeat the Starscourge and return light to our land," Regis finished solemnly. "But that is only the cover of the prophecy... the truth of the matter broke my heart years ago."
For a moment Noctis sat perfectly still as he looked at his father. "The truth of the matter? What- what's the truth of the matter?"
"It is the way that the Chosen King must defeat the Starscourge..." Regis said as he had tears fill his eyes. "The Chosen King... he must give his life in order to completely destroy the plague."
Noctis flinched hard at those words. "What?" He breathed, a slow shake coming to his hands. "I have to die?" He added in the same soft voice.
Regis lowered his head, as if he were ashamed. "I tried to argue with the former Kings and Queens. Even Bahamut himself, but there was no changing what had been declared."
Noctis pulled away from Prompto to kneel in front of his father's desk. "Then why- why did you let me get so attached to this world? I don't- I don't want to die."
"I know... I know. I just couldn't bear keeping you away from it. It would be cruel of me to deny you a nice, happy, easy life all for a prophecy."
"But, what about Prompto? Have I- is he doomed with me? Or does he have to take the throne?"
"You are the only Chosen King, Prompto has no ties into the prophecy," Regis sighed.
A soft sob echoed in the room as Noctis let himself fall to the ground. "How long? How long do we have together?"
"I am unsure... the prophecy isn't that specific. That's why I wanted you to have as much freedom as you could. Do you understand, Noct?"
For a long moment, silence filled the room as Noctis just breathed heavily and stared at his father. "I don't know. I almost wish I wasn't attached so this wouldn't hurt so much."
Prompto's head shot up. "Th-Then what about me? You're saying you wish you weren't attached to me?"
Noctis spun around to look at Prompto with wide eyes. "No, yes, I don't know. I love you, but I don't want to hurt you."
"Noct..." Prompto pushed himself to his feet. "I promised I would be by your side through everything. I still will, but please don't say things like that." He looked over to Regis. "Are you sure it has to be that way? That there's no other way to have Noctis live?"
Regis nearly deflated from the question. "Every time I've asked Bahamut or the Kings, the answer has remained the same. I even pleaded with Bahamut with no success to save him."
With a heavy sigh Prompto looked back to Noctis. "Still... I won't leave you. I'll do whatever I can to stay by your side."
"But I'm going to just bring you pain." Noctis said softly.
"I'll be in more pain if you push me away," Prompto whispered. "You need me like I need you."
"I do need you." He whispered while reaching out for Prompto without grabbing him. "I don't want to hurt you."
"I keep telling you, you're not going to hurt me," Prompto insisted.
Finally Noctis let his hand close around Prompto's shirt to pull him in close so he could quietly sob against his chest. "I don't want to lose you." he sobbed.
Prompto squeezed him tightly. "I don't wanna lose you either. But I swear I'll live every moment with you to the fullest."
"I don't know how to- how to live a life knowing my death is predetermined." Noctis whispered to Prompto.
Regis sighed as he got up from his desk, moving over to the boys. "I'm sorry that I had to mention this... I never wished to burden you with this knowledge."
"You meant, you never meant to tell me?" Noctis hissed as he looked up at his father. "Let me go into this mess with no idea."
"Noctis," his father spoke softly. "I didn't know what to do. How would you tell your 5-year-old son that the gods decided that he must die to protect the world? How do you live with yourself every day watching as if you can't do anything?"
Noctis couldn't help but jerk a bit from his father at the news. "You knew when I was a kid? When I- my whole childhood- you set it up to deal with it." He sobbed as he held Prompto in closer. "No wonder you were so happy when I married Prom."
"I wanted to see you live a happy life. I wanted you to live your life smiling and enjoying it," Regis said as he reached out towards Noctis. His hand stopped mere inches from his shoulder before dropping the arm.
"If I couldn't fight a damn prophecy, I at least wanted to make you as happy as I could."
Slowly, carefully, Noctis reached out to take his father's hand. "I- I don't know if you're fully forgiven, but, I think I get it."
Regis nodded. "I understand if you want to hold any resentment against your father. I deserve it anyways. Perhaps I should have tried harder."
Prompto listened to the words between father and son. He felt deep inside like he could have said something, but he felt like he was at a loss.
Noctis reached out to make sure he had a good grasp on Prompto. "I will never let Prom go. If he goes with the Empire, I'm going with him."
"No. That is far too risky. For the both of you. I have a plan that may work, but it requires time," Regis answered.
"Are you going to share some of it with us?" Noctis asked carefully. "Or do we just have to react to what you do?"
"I plan to delay what they want. Give us a chance to figure out things. They want Prompto for whatever reason, but if I can bargain with them to not do it immediately, it may buy us time."
"So like... you're going to ask them to wait?" Prompto asked.
"If I can, yes. I- I'm hoping to have you out of Insomnia during some of the negotiations." Regis explained.
"Out of Insomnia! You don't want us to help with it!" Noctis shouted, fighting the grasp Prompto had on him.
"Yes, outside of the Crown City," Regis answered.
"What use do we have outside of the City? What can we do with the treaty beyond being stupid figure heads?" Noct hissed.
"We have hope. Hope that we can solve this," Regis answered. "We still need that blood test between Prompto and Besithia, and if it is true they will most definitely crack down on trying to get him. But I hope maybe I can convince them that we can have a 'pick up' in another city. Somewhere where you two have time to prepare."
Noctis froze at that. "That doesn't promise Prom will be safe for a long time. I wish… I just wish to keep him safe from all of this."
"I don't know right now. I wish I did, but the Lucii will tell me nothing. This is all I have," Regis answered.
"Thank you, I guess, for the terrible news you've given us." Noctis said as he tried to pull himself together. He tried to take a breath before burying his face into Prompto's neck.
Regis nodded as he backed away, leaving the two boys to have their moment alone. They were going to need it, knowing that the future ahead of them was uncertain.